NEW YORK — WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is “pretty confident” the league will expand to 16 teams by 2028 and that the goal is to bring in a 14th team for 2026, she told reporters Monday.
With women’s basketball booming in popularity, players and fans alike have called for expansion, as the WNBA’s current footprint of 12 teams, each with 12 roster spots, means the league can accommodate a maximum of 144 players.
The WNBA announced late last year it is adding a 13th team that will be owned and operated by the Golden State Warriors. It is the league’s first new franchise since the Atlanta Dream in 2008.
“It’s complex because you need the arena and practice facility and player housing and all the things you need, committed long-term ownership groups,” Engelbert said before Friday’s WNBA draft. “And so, the nice thing is we’re getting a lot of calls, we’re continuing to engage with cities.”
Engelbert mentioned cities such as Philadelphia, Toronto, Portland, Denver and Nashville…
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